When this website was launched on January 5, 2015, I had basically set up a functional News section that collected and integrated more than 50 automated news sources. Enough of the framework for the site was in place so I could add organizations, publications, and other stuff as they turned up. So rather than wait until I could fully populate the site, I launched provgardener.com without including many groups and other types of information. This is a work in progress -- a life's work for a young person.
Since 2006, I have collected a LOT of information about Rhode Island's environment, but I had to create a useful framework for "parking" and interrelating the information. At long last, it seems to me this website is good enough to capture the astounding amount of work Rhode Islanders are doing to take care of our place. Meanwhile, some of the stuff I've collected has gone out of date. Lists are incredibly redundant. Groups partner with other groups, join each other, form coalitions, change names. Their web addresses change, the offices move.... things are in flux. As I have said else where in this website, Rube Goldberg would be delighted by how we are getting our work done around here. It is really complicated!
So, briefly, your group may NOT be here in January 2015 because
- It's not primarily an environment-focused group. A few non-environment-focused groups are here already, because they actually collaborate with others to take care of RI's environment. All groups that collaborate with others to take care of Rhode Island will eventually be included, but give me a break! There are a lot of environment-focused groups! I am guessing I'll list one thousand such groups, and I'm after them first.
- Your group is not "low-hanging fruit." It's hard to find your group, it has no website, or doesn't show up in collaborations. I'm going after the most collaborative and widely known groups first.
- It's a business -- There might be a few businesses listed already, and RI businesses will be added. But I am adding nonprofit, community, and governmental organizations first.
- I don't know about your group. LET ME KNOW!
- I haven't begun adding your type of group yet. For example:
- RI Land Trust Council is listed, as are a few of the member land trusts, because those members belong to other groups whose member lists I've excavated (such as ECRI). I will list all the 40+ land trusts with direct links to their websites soon.
- College/university centers and departments will all be here, but I haven't systematically gone through each school to include them all. Listed groups, such as URI Outreach Center, are here because they show up in collaborative lists I've processed.
- State government departments, boards, commissions are only partially here. Again, all will be listed, but the most prominent ones that show up in collaborations are here already in January 2015.
- Municipal boards and commissions will all be here, but I will add them by going through each of the 39 town/city websites, beginning with the City of Providence. A few of them might already be here. Providential Gardener considers the following types of municipal entities to be environment-focused: conservation commissions, parks and recreation boards, public works departments, planning boards, zoning boards, sustainability offices, sewer commissions, harbor commissions, forestry departments, tree commissions, and water supply boards. Some municipalities have additional groups.
Stay tuned! Onward and Upward!
